South Korea's culture ministry estimates 2026 arrivals passed 20 million on 12 November. Visitors' card spending is up 47.7%, but the tourism account is back in deficit.
Cover image: Visitors in hanbok at Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul (file photo) — photo by G41rn8, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
South Korea has passed 20 million foreign tourists in 2026, by the government's own estimate, with seven weeks of the year still to run. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said on Thursday 12 November that annual arrivals are estimated to have passed 20 million for the first time. Second vice minister Kim Dae-hyun welcomed the 20 millionth visitor at Incheon International Airport that day, Yonhap reported.
The ministry based the estimate on a provisional 19.97 million arrivals through Wednesday 11 November and a daily average of about 64,000 visitors this year, according to the Korea Herald. Behind the round number, visitors' card spending rose more than twice as fast as arrivals in the first nine months. Yet Korea's tourism account has slipped back into deficit.
How was the 20 million figure calculated?
From a running count plus one average day, not a counted total. The reports carried no breakdown by nationality, and final monthly figures from the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) come later.
The previous full-year high was 18.94 million, set in 2025. The ministry estimated that this year's arrivals passed it on 27 October, as we reported in our story on South Korea breaking its annual visitor record. At that point it expected 20 million in the third week of November.
It took 14 years to double. Arrivals first exceeded 10 million in 2012, reached 17.5 million in 2019 and fell to 970,000 in 2021, The Asia Business Daily reported.
The ministry's year-end target, restated in October, is 23 million. That needs about 3.03 million more arrivals in the 50 days from 12 November, roughly 61,000 a day by our calculation, a little under this year's average.
Is visitor spending growing as fast as arrivals?
Faster. Foreign visitors spent 15.94 trillion won in January to September, up 47.7 per cent from 10.79 trillion won a year earlier, the Korea Herald reported from the ministry's figures. Korean-language coverage describes it as card spending. Arrivals over the same months rose 21.5 per cent to 17.11 million, the ministry said in October.
| Measure | Latest figure | Change on a year earlier, or comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Arrivals, 1 January to 11 November (provisional) | 19.97 million | Not disclosed |
| Arrivals, January to September | 17.11 million | +21.5% |
| Foreign visitors' card spending, January to September | 15.94 trillion won | +47.7% |
| Via airports outside the capital region, January to September | 3.24 million (19.0% of total) | +37.4% |
| Via seaports, January to September | 1.58 million (9.2% of total) | +14.5% |
| Tourism balance, September | $498 million deficit | $399.4 million deficit in August |
Why is the tourism account in deficit with record arrivals?
Koreans are outspending their visitors, on a different measure from the ministry's card data. On 9 November the Korea Times reported KTO data showing the tourism deficit widened to $498 million in September from $399.4 million in August, the third monthly deficit in a row.
The account had run a deficit for 72 consecutive months before turning positive in March. The surplus lasted through June, peaking at $596.6 million, and coincided with BTS concerts in Seoul and Busan, the newspaper noted.
Outbound spending rose 2.5 per cent month on month to $2.96 billion in September.
"Korea needs a comprehensive strategy to increase how long tourists stay, how much they spend and how satisfied they are with their visits," Lee Hoon, a professor of tourism at Hanyang University, told the Korea Times.
Where are visitors entering, and what comes next?
A growing share arrive outside the Seoul area. Through September, 3.24 million visitors entered through airports outside the capital region, up 37.4 per cent and equal to 19 per cent of all arrivals. Another 1.58 million, or 9.2 per cent, came through seaports, up 14.5 per cent.
Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young called the milestone a "starting point". "The government will build the capacity to annually attract 30 million foreign visitors and usher in an era of 40 million visitors," he said, according to Yonhap.
Korea is still well behind Japan, where arrivals fell 2.9 per cent to 30.73 million in January to September on Japan National Tourism Organization estimates, covered in our report on Japan's September arrivals.
One entry rule is still open for 2027. The temporary K-ETA exemption for more than 20 countries and regions ends on 31 December 2026, and the official K-ETA website's notice board showed no further extension on 13 November 2026. Our K-ETA guide lists who is affected.
Frequently asked questions
Has South Korea passed 20 million foreign visitors in 2026?
By the government's estimate, yes. The culture ministry said on Thursday 12 November 2026 that annual arrivals had passed 20 million. It worked from a provisional 19.97 million through 11 November and an average of about 64,000 arrivals a day.
What was South Korea's previous record for foreign arrivals?
The previous full-year high was 18.94 million, set in 2025. The ministry estimates that 2026 arrivals passed it on 27 October. Korea first passed 10 million annual visitors in 2012.
How much do foreign tourists spend in South Korea?
Foreign visitors spent 15.94 trillion won in January to September 2026, up 47.7 per cent from 10.79 trillion won a year earlier, on ministry figures reported by the Korea Herald. Korean-language reports describe the figure as card spending. Arrivals rose 21.5 per cent to 17.11 million over the same months.
Why is South Korea's tourism balance in deficit despite record arrivals?
Because Koreans spend more abroad than visitors spend in Korea. Korea Tourism Organization data reported by the Korea Times show a deficit of $498 million in September 2026, the third monthly deficit in a row, while Koreans' spending overseas rose to $2.96 billion.
Sources
- Yonhap, annual foreign arrivals surpass 20 million
- The Korea Herald, Korea welcomes 20 millionth visitor
- Korea JoongAng Daily, arrivals top 20 million
- The Korea Times, tourism balance stays in deficit
- The Asia Business Daily, arrivals top 20 million
- Kyongbuk Maeil, 27 October figures (Korean)
- JNTO, 2026 arrivals (PDF)
- K-ETA notices
